Brick ovens in Argentina and Chile

[james]

More good photos from Michele. This time from Argentina and Chile -- it sounds like being a food writer is fun ....

Also, I am posting an empanada photo in the food section.

James

[redbricknick]

vent in dome.

This is what I was talking about when I asked about a vent in the dome.. Anyone know any more about this strange and exciting phenomena?

[james]

Hey Nick,

Great catch. As I was posting this, I was thinking about what you had said about the vent-in-the-oven design. I'm thinking "Nick is going to comment on this... "

Still, after thinking about it for a while today, I don't think this is something that I would want to build. Think about the logistics of keeping a good fire going while you are cooking pizza (and other high heat dishes), and how you would have to mess with the in-oven vent. If the vent-in-the-oven was closed for pizza cooking, you don't have a vent above the oven opening to drawing heat and pull hot air out of the oven. It's that draw that creates the natural convection that makes the oven really work with.

I looked back at the photos from the ancient Roman ovens, and they all had a nice terracotta vent directly above the oven opening. Ah. Roman engineering. Straight roads and great brick ovens. Are we progressing?

http://fornobravo.com/pompeii_oven/p.../ventarch.html

Now Nick, do you have a great Empanada recipe?

James